Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c8.3

c8.3

ŚILPA—Craftsmanship was known as Śilpa, a well built body being Suśilpa, and the maker of a beautiful form as Surūpa-kṛtnu. The Goddess of Beauty was Śrī with her companion Lakshmī. The opposite of Śrī was A-Śrī and an ugly face was A-Śrila whereas a beautiful face was Supratīka. It seems that men and women were fond of cultivating beauty both of forms and general appearance by improving their dress, hair-style and ornaments, as indicated by a number of beauty denoting words in the Ṛigveda. Gold-embroidered cloth (Hiraṇyamaya Drāpī), a high pointed head dress (Opaśa), figured drapery (Peśas), woollen cloth (Ūrṇā) and coats of tanned sheap-skin (Pavasta) are mentioned. Opaśa was a fan-like decoration rising several inches above the forehead and secured by a fillet. Kurīra often mentioned with it was a pannier-like cone for the ear. Hair was arranged in braded locks sometimes four for young women (Chatushkapardā yuvatīḥ supeśāḥ, RV. X. 114,3), the bunch of twisted hair on the back of the head being Kumbā (cf. koppu, Hindi khopā). Once a belle is called Svopaśā, Sukurīrā and Sukapardā (VS. 11.56).